Damaged front seat rear outer mounts

[sunrk]

Might have mentioned this in the past, but while doing Resomat install recently I had to take the front seats out, and I re-discovered the ugliness of the damaged front seat rear outer mounts. They were broken in previous ownership and it would be next to impossible to repair with new original seat mounts (if they're even available).

Here's a pic of one of them (the other front seat rear outer mount is similar):

flickr page

Basically the captive nut has broken away from the piece of formed metal spot-welded to the floor member, meaning that there is nothing for the bolt at this location for both front seats to secure into.

The only solution I've been able to use to date has been a seperate big washer and nylock nut which is extremely difficult (I rate it as a 9 out of 10 on difficulty scale for a very simple problem) to position underneath where the captive nut has broken off when the seat and flooring material are in place. I can do it, but it's really fiddly and annoying.

Has anyone solved this problem another way?

I'm thinking of trying to find (or maybe learn how to make) a 'nutplate' sort of like the stick in an icecream with a nut of the correct thread spec welded to it so it's much easier to install/remove.

Craig.

 

[shocktower]

I think you need to make weld a plate, underneath, the body, I wold use 1/4" or 6.4mm and a nut, that is my idea

 

[slow95z]

i could cut come out of a parts rig for you. its either that or fab your own.

 

[Hornd]

Clean up the rust using wire brush in drill and some Naval Jelly (keep far from your Naval, else you look like Pink Panther).
Get a Washer that fits and slip it underneath and tack in place from top.
Put your seat on with bolt and nut thru washer.
Tack the Nut in place and remove seat. This ensures correct alignment.

Even a muffler shop could complete this work if you had the nut and washer.

Spray with Primer or other rust prevention (Por15, Primer, or Rustoleum)

Why do you think it rusted like this?

 

[sunrk]

It's more metal fatigue in the sheet metal that the original captive nut was fixed too that bothers me. I've now treated all the internal surface rust inside the front and middle floor sections anyway.

I know the previous owner's son used the 80 on beaches (still to this day correcting stuff from that, but 90 pct is all replaced/repaired now) but to have both the front seat rear-outer mounts break like in the picture is bizarre.

Maybe it's one of the things Toyota changed with the 8/92 design update.

I use a big washer top and bottom now (seat 'foot' rests on top washer, and bottom washer gives seperate nut something to push against where there's a gaping hole left from the broken away captive nut).

 

[cruiserhound]

@Notch....Interestingly, @sunrk has the same exact problem I have right now! Must be a common issue?

 

[ZeGerman]

I had the exact same issue on mine. Same location. I welded a nut on the plate and welded the plate to the existing bracket. Issue solved. Ghetto but works.

 

[shocktower]

It's more metal fatigue in the sheet metal that the original captive nut was fixed too that bothers me. I've now treated all the internal surface rust inside the front and middle floor sections anyway.

I know the previous owner's son used the 80 on beaches (still to this day correcting stuff from that, but 90 pct is all replaced/repaired now) but to have both the front seat rear-outer mounts break like in the picture is bizarre.

Maybe it's one of the things Toyota changed with the 8/92 design update.

I use a big washer top and bottom now (seat 'foot' rests on top washer, and bottom washer gives seperate nut something to push against where there's a gaping hole left from the broken away captive nut).

Dam son's of Beaches

 

[sunrk]

I've got these spare nutplates left over from some recovery point kits which aren't the correct thread for seat mount bolts but that's like what is needed to 'replace' the broken off captive nuts and have an easy way to install/remove them without much convolution of fingers and small spanners inside where the old captive nuts used to be... Anything has to be better than a seperate nylock nut and big washer that's workable but very difficult.

flickr page

Maybe instead of a bit of wire, there should be something similar to a paddlepop stick piece of metal to be like a handle.

Craig.